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What brand do you use for timed cat feeder?

Originally Posted by Jeszel

My 6 year old, Jeszel, gets pills/capsules 6 times per day. I use a timed cat feeder that is set to open when I'm not at home or alseep. I wrap the pills/capsules with Greenies pill pockets and place them in the feeder and set the timer. Jeszel likes the taste of the pill pockets so she grabs the meds out of the feeder right away and has never left a pill behind. Jeszel actually found the timed feeder fun and keeps an eye on it... she makes sure to sleep near it in my bedroom so that she does not miss it opening at 3am. If you donít have another dog around that could grab the meds instead, this is a handy method.

Hi,
I am looking into timed cat feeder to give medicine for my Bee. There are so many out there and don't know which one to choose. If I may ask, what brand are you using?
Thanks
Kitty

Food and water bowl options

I have had such a hard time finding elevated food/water bowls. They are either too high or too big. It really helps her not to strain so much. I ended up buying 2 french fry cones (the metal holders for french fries found at restaurants) and putting bowls in the top. It doesn't take up too much space and it is just the perfect height (around 7 inches).

I know this is a weird idea, but it has been great. I hope it can help someone out there!

hi, i'm new to this forum & already it has been a big help....and this is the first thread i have read! my 2 year old border collie was diagnosed with severe syringomyelia 3 weeks ago by MRI, the vets are astounded that he has this condition & that he is able to walk.....i agree with Anniemacs sentiments exactly...its so hard to watch my previously happy healthy dog struggle, but he has moments of magnificence! He astounds me with his strength & spirit.
We have a harness to help steady him if he gets too wobbly, its a Ruffwear one with a handle on top...excellent for helping him on steps etc, rugs everywhere on hard floor & playmats on the garden paths so he doesnt wear his claws down cos he drags his front feet, we also covered the garden steps with carpet so he doesn't knock his legs, we bought some excellent little fleece boots from Snowpaw store ( they need making a bit smaller) but they are great at protecting his feet. Tried him on dog boots from Ruffwear but they seem to make his feet catch more cos he drags them. Got the savic ergo bowl so his food & water are off the floor.
The hardest part is not knowing what the future will hold, but i have to follow my dogs example, Blue lives for the moment & when I get upset will drop a toy on my lap or come and give me a lick...My duty as I see it, is to help him enjoy his life, day by day, as much as i can & if can wag his tail & carry on...then so should I!!

Live in the moment and stay positive!

Hi Sarahsum and all,I feel your heartbreak at seeing your beloved Blue go thru this. My Cavalier Lily was diagnosed in April 2010 at age 5. She is also in the worst category of Syringomylia. Seeing her in pain & knowing what it meant broke my heart. It took us a while to find the right medicine balance for her (we followed Clare Russbridge's treatment matrix to good effect) and we also needed to have her ear operated on as she fairly rapidly lost her hearing (probably from PSOMS). We were lucky and her hearing returned although the chance is high she will lose it again and may not get it back. So we've taken the 'hearing time' to teach sign language commands (as well as for good dog!) along with her voice commands so we will always have a 'line of communication' with her. And now Lily's a "changed dog!" Energetic, giving, sometimes mischievous but healthy, happy, and leading a quality life. Dont lose hope Sarahsum! I suggest you keep a log book to track the medicines, their effects, and all the changes; we found this enormously helpful for really being able to see the small and large scale changes in a more clinical way. Enjoy Blue an his beautiful heart and know that the change you've made and the right treatment regime will make the difference. Good luck!Ylan

Thanks Ylan, you are right, he does have a beautiful heart....whenever I get upset he brings me a toy or snuggles up to me and gives me a kiss. At least they do not have the burden of knowing or worrying what the future holds.....I have had some amazing help today from different people.....and I have had emails from Clare Rusbridge so I have a new avenue of treatment if the meds don't work. It's easier to deal with if you know exactly what is going on & can recognise symptoms & improvements. I had thought about keeping a diary and have started a record of dates etc and his condition.
Lily sounds a gorgeous plucky girl too. We are so lucky to share our lives with these wonderful, inspiring dogs.

Im new to the forum, and to SM.
My 18 month old, Barney has just been diagnosed (Few months back)
I am working very closely with on of the vets in my practice, as i work there too as an animal care nurse.
I do have to say SM was a huge shock. Ive been told he doesn't look like a typical sufferer, but the MRI showed the Fluid to be severely large. I was with him when we did the MRI and the readers reaction said it all.

Barney is coping so so well.
We still do have our days when he is lethargic and particularly chewing at his left foot.
I have given him a large duvet, folded to sleep on, and he sleeps next to the radiator for warmth.
I recently got him a harness which doesn't put pressure on the neck at all, and reduced his walks a bit, but increased playtime in the garden.
I feed him a little higher up now too, in case bending was putting pressure on his neck.

Im giving him Gabapentin twice daily and Frusemide half tablet twice daily which seems to be working great so far.

Any tips on walks?

I want to take him to Delamere forest along with my healthy 3 yr old cavalier, Maisy but short from taking a backpack and letting him sit in it if his sensations get bad or whatever i cant think of anything else.

Im new to the forum, and to SM.
My 18 month old, Barney has just been diagnosed (Few months back)
I am working very closely with on of the vets in my practice, as i work there too as an animal care nurse.
I do have to say SM was a huge shock. Ive been told he doesn't look like a typical sufferer, but the MRI showed the Fluid to be severely large. I was with him when we did the MRI and the readers reaction said it all.

Any tips on walks? I want to take him to Delamere forest along with my healthy 3 yr old cavalier, Maisy but short from taking a backpack and letting him sit in it if his sensations get bad or whatever i cant think of anything else.

Katiex

Hi Katie,

I'm sorry to hear about Barney! I understand your shock. My Lily was diagnosed at 5 years old with large & severe syringes on her right side; her right paw is the one that she most fixates on. Barney is in good hands. You've done much for him already, diagnosed it early, and your care for him will help him immensely.

In terms of walks, I made my own harness for Lily to minimise her discomfort. It's essentially 2 loops of soft fabric which go (1 each) around her front legs and clip together over her back. I found I needed to add an attachment between the fabric between the legs to keep it secure. This has made a huge difference. Excitement also causes more scratching so I would suggest beings blasť as possible before the walk& this might help. Also, I suspect that Lily is sensitive to rain on her head as she really doesn't like going out when raining. We have a little coat for her but this isn't a great solution.

So much of Syringomyelia is just watching and being sensitive to our pups' needs. I'm sure Barney like Lily will show you what he needs. So easy to say but try and not let it get you down. You've caught Barney's Syr. early so there's every reason to be positive about the future.

about the elevated feeders: i had a really hard time finding one as well. the ones with the right bowl size were too short and the ones with the right height had enormous bowls. however, i found a perfect one at homegoods for about 20 dollars! and its pretty tall, i wanna say about 8 inches tall and the bowls can probably hold 2 or 3 cups so they arent enormous. its adorable. its white wood and bone shaped. i love it! homegoods always has a wide variety of pet stuff near me, so you should try a store like that!